From the back cover - Since 1979, William Taylor has been taking hundreds of Northern California high school students to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East to uncover the roots of Western history as part of a unique educational program.  Arete West students participate in a nine month curriculum, reading and discussing historical literature, then fly overseas to explore the sites they studied.  For Arete students, the odyssey is both a journey into history and a formative encounter with the self.  This book celebrates the Arete program, as Bill Taylor and his students articulate Arete memories from the past four decades.  For young adults interested in the world around them, parents wishing to enrich their children's education, and teachers seeking new and inspiring ways to reach their students, The Greatest Classrooms of the World presents fresh ideas and possibilities.  More than a collection of personal trip memories, this book communicates the search for personal excellence, the passion of international youth travel, and a program that can be emulated and adapted all over the world.